How You Picture Things
by SortItOut
Summary: Set after "Jews and Chinese Food" But before, "So Good Talk." The whole town wants Luke and Lorelai to get back together so they decide to do something about it. Java Junkie of course. Chapter 7 is now up. COMPLETE.
1. MacGyver and the Mafia

**How You Picture Things**

**Authors Note: **Okay, so I am starting a new fic. I have always wanted to do something where Luke and Lorelai are stuck somewhere together, and that is how this was born. I admit the premise could be considered a little hack but the idea wouldn't leave me so I figured why not. So I hope everyone will suspend their disbelief a little with me. This is a multipart story and the first chapter is kind of setting things up so chapter 2 will be a bit more meaty than this one. Since this is a brand new story reviews would be so unbelievably welcome and appreciated. It just helps me out so much even if it's a simple, "keep going" or "Stop writing immediately you are making me angry at words" okay the second one is not as appreciated but you see what I am saying. Okay, on with the show!

**Spoilers:** None.

**Premise**: Set after _"Jews and Chinese Food_" But before,_"So Good Talk." _The whole town wants Luke and Lorelai to get back together so they decide to do something about it.

**Chapter 1 "MacGyver and the Mafia":**

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**"**_**It could all be so simple, but you'd rather make it hard. Loving you is like a battle and we both end up with scars."** Ex Factor, Lauryn Hill_

* * *

"Okay Sookie, I am here just like you asked. It's been a really long day and I still don't understand why I needed to come here!" Lorelai yelled as she walked into Miss Patty's dance studio. As she made her way further into the studio she noticed that the place seemed empty. Most noticeably it was missing her best friend who had convinced her that there was some kind of an emergency that they needed to discuss, and the only place to do it was at Miss Patty's. Lorelai didn't really understand what was going on or what the emergency was but this was Sookie and she could be a little bit scattered. Lorelai figured it probably had something to do with Jackson or food those were always safe bets. She was too tired to argue with Sookie, or ask more questions so she just came here and figured she would know soon enough.

"Sookie," Lorelai called out, "Sookie? Miss Patty? Anybody?"

Lorelai went into to Miss Patty's office to see if Sookie was there. At the very least she hoped to see Miss Patty because maybe she would have an idea as to why Sookie so desperately needed Lorelai to come and meet her here.

There was no sign of Miss Patty or Sookie when Lorelai reached the office. "This is really weird! Crazy pregnant lady!" Lorelai said to no one.

Lorelai was in the process of trying to find her cell phone in her purse to call Sookie when she remembered she had left the stupid thing on the charger.

"Stupid technology," She shouted.

She saw the phone on the desk and figured Miss Patty wouldn't mind her using the land line. As she was about to pick up the phone she heard the front door of the studio open and then close again.

Lorelai was walking out of the office while she spoke "There you are Sookie…" She started.

Lorelai then caught a glimpse of who had actually arrived. The first thing she noticed was Bert, Luke's red trusty toolbox. Immediately after that she noticed the flannel clad man who owned him.

"Luke…" Lorelai gasped.

"Lorelai…" Luke said just as shocked.

They were both so caught up at being in the same room without any warning or time to prepare that there minds went into overdrive. They both just stood there and took a second to really look at each other.

Lorelai immediately noticed how tired and worn out Luke looked. She didn't know if she should feel happy about that because maybe it meant he was having a hard time dealing with their break up as well. Or if she should feel sad because someone she cared about looked so worn out and she was partly to blame. This thought was followed by the idea that maybe he looks tired because of something else entirely and she was being completely self involved assuming it had to do with her. Lorelai couldn't decide which one it was. The only thing she did know for sure was that the longing feeling she had steadily felt since Luke had broke up with her had completely intensified in his presence. She had thought that she getting used to the feeling but with him so close to her, she could feel her heart twisting and breaking and her breathing become shallower. Lorelai felt like it was like her bodies way of making sure she remembered how completely in love she was with this man, and how completely miserable she was without him.

As Lorelai was taking in Luke's presence he was doing the same with her. It amazed him how beautiful she was. He had spent a large part of a month trying to forget her beauty and there it was staring him in the face. Yes, undeniably she was gorgeous but Luke also noted that she looked thinner and more breakable and that sparkle that always radiated from deep inside of her seemed some how muted. As Luke looked at her he felt like it physically hurt his heart to be so close and yet so far from her. He had long ago resigned himself to fact that he would never stop loving her. However, Luke began to realize that it was one thing to know that you would always love someone when it was just this thought in your head. It was just a thought and a twinge that you would get in the emptiness of your room at night. As opposed to what was happening now. This wasn't just a thought and a twinge this was him really truly feeling this intense love and need just at the mere sight of her.

They were so lost in thought that neither one of them heard the jingling of keys from the other side of the door. They also didn't notice that the silence between them had gone long past an acceptable amount of time.

"Um… Have you seen Sookie?" Lorelai said the first thing that came into her head when the spell was finally broken.

"Uh no can't say that I have," Luke said awkwardly. "Is Miss Patty here?"

"Not from what I can tell." Lorelai answered.

"Well, that's just great!" Luke angrily replied.

It had been a month since Luke and Lorelai had broken up and they hadn't seen each other since the night of Stars Hollow Elementary School production of _Fiddler on the Roof._ Luke had made a distinct effort to not leave the diner in an attempt to never run into Lorelai. Lorelai had secretly wished that she would run into Luke some how but now that it was happening she had no idea how to act.

"Sorry?" Lorelai said it like it was question. "Well, I should go find Sookie."

"Okay." Luke blankly responded.

"Nice to see you," Lorelai said sincerely as she walked passed Luke to the door.

"You too," Luke replied quickly.

Lorelai tried to open the door but it wouldn't budge.

"Um the door seems to be stuck." Lorelai declared.

"Let me try." Luke went over to the door as Lorelai stepped aside and pulled with all his might. "Yeah, this door is locked."

"That's weird, it wasn't locked a minute ago you and I both managed to get in. In fact I don't think Miss Patty's has ever been locked." Lorelai said confused.

As Lorelai spoke something by the door caught Luke's eyes he bent down to pick up the envelope on the ground.

"What's that?" Lorelai asked.

Luke noticed that envelope was addressed to him and Lorelai and his stomach immediately sunk. He opened the envelope and silently read the note inside.

"What the hell!" Luke said angrily as he crumpled up the note and threw it on the ground, "Looks like we are stuck here!"

"What?" Lorelai asked her confusion mounting. She bent down and picked up the crumpled piece of paper and read it out loud.

_Dear Luke and Lorelai,_

_You two are miserable without each other and you clearly belong together. The whole town is tired of it, and the ribbons and we are taking action. We locked you in; you both know there is one way in and out of the studio so do not bother trying to escape. Don't be mad we want what is best for you both and that is each other. So just sit down and talk and fix this and we will be back to unlock the door in the morning. We left some supplies in the office, use them wisely. Remember love concurs all._

_Love, _

_The Concerned Citizens of Stars Hollow_

_Ps. Sookie would like Lorelai to remember that it's not good form to kill a pregnant woman. She just wants what's best for you. She also made cookies for the two of you and so she feels that has to count for something._

"You have got to be kidding me!" Lorelai exclaimed as she finished the note. "I can not believe this!"

"Yeah, I am having a hard time with it myself." Luke said through gritted teeth.

Luke's cold attitude made Lorelai rethink all the fantasies she had about running into him. Suddenly the room seemed very small and Luke's presence seemed very large and all Lorelai wanted to do was get the hell out of this situation.

"Is there really no other way out of here?" Lorelai asked.

"Not that I can think of." Luke said in a strained tone.

"What if we kick it, or use our body weight and run into it like in the movies?" Lorelai inquired.

"Seriously Lorelai, the lock is probably reinforced steal, I know you have a _Wonder Woman_ thing going on but I don't think it's going to work." Luke returned.

"What about Bert?" Lorelai asked ignoring the _Wonder Woman_ comment.

"What?" Luke questioned as Lorelai pointed down at the red tool box on the floor.

"Oh" Luke said finally getting it. "Well, I guess I could try something but it's locked from the outside I don't know how much good it will do."

Luke opened up the tool box and began to fiddle with the door.

Twenty minutes and a lot of grumbling later Luke was no closer to getting the door open.

"This is pointless. It is not working." Luke sighed throwing his tools back in the box and slamming it closed.

"So you are just going to accept the fact that we are stuck in here? You would think having every episode of _MacGyver_ on VHS you of all people would know how to get out of here." Lorelai ranted.

"Hey, is that not talking about it!" Luke sternly replied.

"Sorry." Suddenly a thought struck Lorelai and her tone changed as she continued, "Um Luke, I just want you to know I had nothing to do with this. I am going to kill Sookie pregnant or not! It is times like this I wish I was in the mafia. I could order a whacking it would all be done very professionally. Leave the gun; take the cannoli and all that."

"Okay." Luke responded in a tone that Lorelai couldn't decipher.

"I am serious. I know that I pushed you, and I screwed up, and acted crazy. I know all of these things so believe me this is the last thing I would do. I said that I respected the fact that you were out and I do..." Lorelai seriously replied.

"I don't think you were involved." Luke cut off anything else Lorelai was going to say. "Listen, I have lived in this town my whole life. I know the citizens of this crazy ass town pretty well and this reeks of townie meddling. Hell, they probably had a secret town meeting with charts and pie graphs mapping out our failed relationship."

Lorelai knew Luke was just telling the truth but hearing him say 'failed relationship' stung her and her already bruised heart. Lorelai took a breath to hide the tears threatening to form in her eyes. With every bit of concentration she could muster she focused on making her tone even as she spoke. "You are probably right. I guess they mean well, right?"

"I suppose, it's like a town full of people who don't understand the concept of boundaries and privacy." Luke answered.

"So how did this town without boundaries trick you into coming here?" Lorelai wondered.

"Miss Patty told me she had a loose floorboard and that she couldn't get anyone to come fix it until Thursday. Lets just say when she started threatening me with having bruised and bloodied baby ballerinas on my conscience, I gave in."

Lorelai laughed a small but for the first time in week's genuine laugh. "Miss Patty does have a way with words at times. I wonder if she was the author of the note."

"Yep," Luke said shortly. His one word answer affectively stopped the ease that their conversation was beginning to have.

His short answer and the immediate silence that followed suddenly reminded Lorelai that this wasn't her boyfriend Luke she was talking to. This wasn't even old friend Luke who kept her in coffee and Danishes. This was a Luke who she didn't get to have easy conversation and banter with. This was Luke the guy she lied to and hurt, and who had hurt her so much. This was the Luke who broke up with her because it and was 'too much'.

The realization saddened her and a heavy sigh escaped her lips.

Luke didn't know what Lorelai was sighing about but he could guess that it was about him. He knew cutting off the conversation they had started was an asshole move on his part. However, he just didn't know how to be around her anymore. It was easy to slip into old patterns for a minute but then reality came and he would remember the fact that they were not together anymore. Luke started to think this was like his own little _Dante's Inferno_ because the last thing Luke wanted was to sit and ruminate over the fact that he had lost Lorelai while he was in the same room with her. It was like he was an alcoholic who really wanted to forget that alcohol even existed but, instead of getting his wish that he could forget everything he was locked in an empty closet with a bottle of Jim Bean and no distractions.

Luke hated thinking so much, and he hated being a jerk. So he broke the silence. "Well, I don't think we are getting out of here without me taking a hatchet to the door. But if I did that then I know that some how later I would be roped into having to fix the hatcheted door and besides where would I find a hatchet..." _Oh god,_ Luke thought, _I am rambling, I am turning into Lorelai. _"Anyway, I say we just wait this thing out. The note says they will come in the morning, and then we can order all those mafia hits you were talking about."

Lorelai laughed again relieved that Luke was once again speaking. "Sounds like a plan."


	2. Regrets and LSD Trips

**How You Picture Things**

**Authors Note:**First of all to everyone who reviewed you are all my lucky pennies, _CoughFriendsRefrenceCough._ Seriously, thank you all so much.I love the reviews so keep on doing what you're doing. Chapter 2 is now here so woo hoo for that…

**Spoilers:** None.

**Premise**: Set after _"Jews and Chinese Food_" But before, _"So Good Talk." _The whole town wants Luke and Lorelai to get back together so they decide to do something about it.

**Chapter 2 "Regrets and LSD Trips":**

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**"**_**Don't know why I am still afraid if you weren't real I would make you up."** Honey and the Moon, Joseph Arthur_

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Luke and Lorelai went to the corner of Miss Patty's dance studio and each grabbed a yoga mat. They placed their mats on the floor a respectable distance from each other and eased themselves down to the ground. As they sat neither one of them made an effort to speak. They would occasionally look over at one another but the second they thought the other person might be looking back they would quickly avert their gaze.

_And back to the uncomfortable silence. _They both thought simultaneously, when it became clear neither of them knew how end the quiet that had taken over the room.

There were so many things Luke wanted to do and say. He felt like a human puzzle and each piece of him had a different idea about what should happen next. His heart wanted to grab Lorelai and kiss her until she couldn't breathe, and forget that they ever broke up. A more emotional part of Luke wanted to scream, yell, and apologize to her all at once. The confused part of Luke wanted to ask Lorelai how things had gotten so completely out of hand? How in the world had they had gotten to the point they were now at? Luke figured that all of his puzzle pieces were too late because it had already been a month since they broke up. Their chance had passed and he just needed to accept that.

Though Lorelai didn't know it her thoughts mirrored Luke's. It was impossible to think of anything but him when he was so close and there was nothing to distract her. She longed for him to kiss her, touch her, and forgive her. At the same time she wanted to yell at him for saying he was '_all in'_ and then pulling out just when she was catching up to him. She wanted to apologize to him, and have him really hear it and know she was sincere. She figured it was too late for any of that because he was out and that was that.

Despite the internal struggle Luke knew this was probably his last chance to say anything he needed to say to Lorelai. He didn't quite know how to articulate his thoughts but he knew he wanted to say something. Luke was not a man of many words and he wasn't one to bare his soul. However, Luke felt the overwhelming need to let Lorelai know this isn't how he thought things would go. For some unknown reason he needed her to know that he had regrets.

"I just want you to know…." Luke suddenly started and then just as abruptly stopped.

"Know what?" Lorelai asked her interests peeked.

"Never mind," Luke said quickly chickening out.

"Oh okay," Lorelai softly responded.

_Old Lorelai_ would have pressured and pushed and annoyed _Old Luke _until she wore him down and he answered. Once again Lorelai was reminded that this was post break up _New Lorelai and Luke_. She didn't know how to act around Luke anymore. The only thing Lorelai knew was that she hated _New Lorelai and Luke_ with everything inside of her.

"No, damn it. I do want you to know something." Luke said with a sense of determination in his voice.

"Okay." Lorelai meekly responded mentally bracing herself for whatever he said next.

"I just wanted you to know that this isn't how I pictured things turning out between us." Luke finally managed to say.

Lorelai was caught off guard. She wasn't sure what she had expected him to say but it wasn't that. She didn't know what to say back to him but decided one lesson learned with Luke was that honesty was always the best policy.

"I know that, Luke. I didn't picture things ending up like this either. I hope that you know that." Lorelai sadly uttered.

Luke and Lorelai looked at each other for a moment directly in the eyes. They wanted the answers to all their problems to be displayed somewhere beneath the surface. Lorelai suddenly looked away. Their gaze was too intense for her. She got no answers from Luke's eyes. His eyes didn't betray him but she wasn't so sure about her own. She felt that by him looking into her eyes she was giving away every secret wish she had about them. Their whole relationship had been a metaphoric game of _Texas Hold'em _and Lorelai couldn't seem to put on her poker face.

"It's kind of sad, don't you think." Lorelai sardonically started, "I don't know about you, but I really thought that you and I would be different. I mean you could not have been more right for me Luke. Now I know without a doubt that I screw up anything good that comes my way."

"Lorelai, this wasn't all you, I had…" Luke started sympathetically.

He got up from his yoga mat and sat down next to her.

A few tears fell down Lorelai's face and Luke put a hand on her shoulder which she immediately shrugged off. Luke quickly put his hands at his sides a little hurt at being rebuffed.

"No don't. Please don't. Listen to me, I am so selfish. Look at what I am doing. I am not your problem anymore but once again I am trying to lay my issues on you. You're a good man and even now you are being nice, and damn it." Lorelai angrily pronounced through her tears.

"Listen Lorelai, I, we, you," Luke started awkwardly. "I, uh, you will always be my problem."

"I will?" Lorelai asked as she turned her head and looked at Luke through her glassy eyes.

"Yeah," Luke returned simply.

With Lorelai's head turned she and Luke's faces were now just mere inches apart. She moved her eyes downward to his full lips and wanted nothing more then to feel those lips on her own. She briefly thought that even if it were just one last kiss, that would be enough. She would know this time that it would be their last and she would know to memorize every feeling, moment, and touch so the memory would be less likely to fade over time.

Luke looked at Lorelai looking at him and he thought about how easy it would be to lean in and remove the tiny space between them. He missed kissing her and well everything about her so much. Luke thought about how easy it would be change things. All it would take is just a slight half of an inch move to the left and he could once again have Lorelai's lips on his. It was crazy to think that just a half an inch movement and everything would be different.

Lorelai realized that one more kiss from Luke would never be enough. It would just make her want another and another. She had to get it through her head that he had broken up with her and she had promised to respect what he wanted. She couldn't be so close to him fantasizing about things that would never happen.

Lorelai was tired of torturing herself so she slowly turned her head away from Luke's. As she was turning away Lorelai could have sworn she saw through her peripheral vision Luke's head slowly moving towards her. She quickly shook the image out her out of her head. She was such a mess. She wanted him so bad that now she was hallucinating things.

"That note said something about cookies, how about we go find them. I know surprise of all surprises, I am hungry." Lorelai tried to joke.

Luke watched as Lorelai got up and made her way towards the office effectively breaking the moment they were sharing. Luke mentally chastised himself for almost kissing her. It was a good thing Lorelai had moved away because in one more second his lips would have made its way to hers. _Why is that a good thing? _Another part of Luke's brain screamed. _You wanted to kiss her and it didn't happen and that is not a good thing._

"Good Idea." Luke finally managed to reply as he got himself up and trailed after Lorelai.

* * *

"They must just think they are so clever. God, I feel like I am in a really messed up version of the _Parent Trap_." 

Luke heard Lorelai say as he made his way into Miss Patty's office.

Lorelai was digging through a big cardboard box with the words Luke and Lorelai written on the side of it.

She turned to look at Luke as she dug through the box.

"How I didn't notice this huge box with my name on it when I was in here earlier I will never understand." Lorelai shook her head as she spoke. Lorelai began to empty the contents of the box as Luke watched. "Will you look at this, candles, chocolate covered strawberries, in a cooler, the infamous cookies, Rosemary Clooney CD, a Barry White CD…"

"There are just so many people to be pissed off at right now. I don't even know where to direct my anger." Luke said as he stepped closer to get his own view of the box.

"Well, here are some places to start." Lorelai noted as turned the bag of cookies over and noticed the signature on them. "Everything is labeled. Cookies and Strawberries courtesy of Sookie and Jackson, Clooney from Babette, Barry White from Kirk, and Candles from Rory…Wait, Oh my god. Even my kid was in on this. This really is the LSD version of the _Parent Trap_ and not even the good one with Hayley Mills; this is the Lindsey Lohan version..."

"You would think that they would want to remain anonymous in this scheme. Only in this town would people proudly announce the fact that they basically kidnapped two people…" Luke began to rant.

All of a sudden Lorelai was a little offended. Was it really that bad for Luke to be here with her? Sure, she was pissed off at the town for doing this but he was so mad. It had been just a second ago when he had told her she would always be his problem. Just a second ago he was being so nice and she had thought that meant something. She knew it wasn't logical to be upset that he was upset, but logic wasn't her strong point. The fact that he was angry at having to be here with her was really beginning to hurt.

"I am going to kill Rory. How could she be in on this? I am her mother. I birthed her. Does that mean nothing? Let me tell you something an easy birth it was not. It was like pushing a Thanksgiving Day Turkey out of your eye socket…" Lorelai angrily ranted.

"Okay, okay that's quite enough of that!" Luke cut her off before he was permanently scared. Luke took his eyes off the box and noticed another pile of things with a yellow post it on it. "Looks like there is more…"

Luke and Lorelai both walked over to the pile. The Yellow post it simply read, _"Luke and Lorelai, Enjoy. Miss Patty."_

Luke began to go through the contents of the pile. "Two pillows, one blanket, and one of those blow up mattress that blows up on its own…" Luke said in disbelief.

"One blanket…" Lorelai meekly questioned. _Wow,_ Lorelai thought, _there is only one good outcome for having one blanket. Clearly, with how upset Luke is with the prospect of staying here with me, it is the only one that will never happen._

Luke turned and looked nervously at Lorelai. "Looks like it."

"Well, no one can say that they weren't thorough." Lorelai softly pronounced.

"That's for sure." Luke replied.

_Just when this night couldn't be more awkward, Miss Patty's gift comes into play, _Luke thought.

Him and Lorelai were once again staring at each other in the now patented Luke and Lorelai, _this is the most uncomfortable thing ever_ silence. It was a silence they were beginning to perfect.


	3. Etiquette Books and Hope

**How You Picture Things**

**Authors Note: **Chapter three is here. Yay for Chapter 3! Okay, I must say that the reviews have been awesome and amazing. I would love for you all to continue right on doing what you are doing. I want to thank you all, especially people who have continuously reviewed because it's really nice and really helpful.

**Spoilers:** None.

**Premise**: Set after _"Jews and Chinese Food_" But before, _"So Good Talk." _The whole town wants Luke and Lorelai to get back together so they decide to do something about it.

**Chapter 3 "Etiquette Books and Hope":**

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"_**Well, do you want to fall apart? Well I could, if you can't try and fix what I've undone, because I hate what I've become."** First Single (Cause A Scene), The Format_

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"I wonder what they all pictured happening in this little scenario they invented." Lorelai thought out loud as she popped another one of Sookie's cookies in her mouth.

Lorelai and Luke had made there way from the office and were now both safely back on their respective yoga mats.

Lorelai noticed that some of the immediate tension and initial shock of being with Luke was beginning to wear off. Like any situation the tension rises and then it plateaus, and Lorelai was just happy to be on a flat surface. She noted that she was beginning to feel less like a scared puppy and a little more like herself.

Lorelai was laying flat on her back looking up at the ceiling as she spoke, "I mean did they think that we would realize we were stuck in here, and be like oh what the hell and just start…." Lorelai trailed off when she realized that completing the rest of her thought was probably not the best idea.

"And just start what?" Luke asked his interest peaked. Luke was also lying on his mat and he shifted his body to the side to look at Lorelai.

"Um well…" Lorelai stuttered, "Well, I was going to say 'just start making out.' Then I decided that might be an awkward thing to say given the situation we are in. I mean that stuff only happens in movies, ya know? But, I guess that's what they were hoping that this would turn out like a movie. So anyway, I stopped myself from saying it. Although, I guess I didn't do a very good job because I just said it to you anyway. Which I am sure was a mistake. This will probably end in another wave of uncomfortable silence. You know silence is a real killer for me. Always has been, I was always that girl cracking a joke to lighten up a situation. Even if there was nothing to say I always thought of something. Of course you do know that. You more than anyone besides maybe Rory have been on the receiving end of a lot of my nonsensical ramblings. It's just I am a natural talker. I talk, I ramble it's my thing. Look, I am doing it right now and I really need to stop so…"

Lorelai put her hands over her face in embarrassment. Maybe feeling more like herself wasn't such a great thing.

"Lorelai, this is weird for me too. There is no etiquette book for this particular situation. Not that I am one to read etiquette books but I am just saying…" Luke didn't really know how to continue.

Now it was Lorelai's turn to ask him to finish his thought. "You're just saying what?"

"I guess just that this is weird." Luke lamely concluded.

"Yes, weird. I think we can safely say without a doubt that this is weird for the both of us." Lorelai summarized.

Lorelai was completely right about one thing the weird comment was the beginning of another patch of silence. Lorelai decided to concentrate on eating the cookies and keeping her mouth shut. While Luke turned to lie on his back and decided to pass the time by silently count the squiggly lines on the ceiling.

When Lorelai finished the last of the cookies the sugar rush mixed with the prolonged silence gave her a bit of courage. "Hey, Luke," Lorelai timidly started.

"Yes," Luke answered.

"You think it will be like this forever?" Lorelai managed to get out.

"What will?" Luke questioned.

He thought he knew exactly what Lorelai was asking but he stalled answering anyway. She wanted to know if_ they_ would like this forever. Would they always ignore each other and be hurt? Would anytime they were together be filled with awkward silences and uncomfortable glances? Would this be the only time they ever talked, simply because they were forced to by being stuck in this hell hole? Could they fix this? Should they even try? Is it too late? Could at the very least they be friends?

Luke knew this is what she was asking because they were the same questions going through his own head. However, something held him back from answering. He was a stubborn man with a broken heart and a part of him believed it shouldn't be him having to answer these questions. After all, it had been Lorelai who made him question everything about their relationship in the first place. She was the one who lied to him, it was her family, and it was her ex. She was the one who created the questions with her actions.

He knew the second that the thought appeared in his head that it wasn't fair to think like that. He had is own part in their break up and he knew that. After all he is the one who actually did the breaking up part of the scenario. He was also the one who wouldn't listen to her when she tried to explain. To sum it up they both sucked at relationships before this and they didn't manage to do any better with each other. Luke now realized it was stupid to think that they would both magically be different just because he was Luke, and she was Lorelai, and it had been such a long time coming.

"I don't know, never mind." Lorelai back tracked her courage dwindling. What really made her backpedal was the look on Luke's face as she asked. She got the distinct impression if she had explained what she had meant; she wouldn't have liked the answers she got.

"Okay." Luke returned simply once again focusing on the ceiling. He could have made her say what she meant but, he didn't see the point in dragging it out of her. He knew it would only lead to more hurt and pain and it was really time for them both to cut their losses.

In Lorelai's head she was knew a few things with a bit of certainty. One was that she had hurt Luke. Two, was that he was out and they were over. However, her heart was having a hard time with both of these facts. She wanted things back to where they were before the wedding. What she really wanted was a middle. At this point she would gladly accept a new beginning. Being in the same room with Luke intensified every feeling she had spent a month trying to squash down, get over, and move on from. It finally occurred to her that she would never be able to do any of it. She would never be over him and she would never move on. That realization coupled with the look on Luke's face when she had asked him if it would always be like this, said it all. The look had told her he would never be able to forgive her. She realized that these were the new facts. Before Lorelai even became conscious of what was happening a stream of tears were making their way down her face.

Luke was distracted from his counting when he thought he heard the distinct sound of a sniffle from Lorelai's direction. He turned his body to look at her. Luke immediately noticed that she was now facing the wall affectively hiding her face from him. He waited a second and heard the same sniffling noise. An internal debate started in his mind about whether he should go over to her. The debate turned out to be a short one because a second later Luke got up off of his mat and went and sat down next to Lorelai. He gently put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, are you okay."

This time Lorelai didn't shrug off his hand.

"It is going to be like this forever, isn't it? I mean I wasn't expecting… People kept saying give it time and I knew better but… and here I am crying again. Twice in one night, I swear I am not normally like this…God, this is so hard!" Lorelai said between sniffles.

Lorelai turned to face him and he looked down at her tear stained face. She looked so scared and childlike and Luke didn't care who had gotten them to the point they were at anymore. He just wanted to fix it for her. She was completely right this was so hard. Luke really wanted things to be different. However, this wasn't something easily fixed. This wasn't Lorelai's porch rail, or a roof shingle, or a back door or anything else he knew how to repair. This was feelings, and hearts and other things Luke never knew what to do with.

"I don't know, Lorelai." Luke whispered. Without thinking he took his hand and tucked a piece of hair that had fallen into Lorelai's face back behind her ear. "I wish I knew, but I just don't."

Lorelai thought that the answer 'I don't know' didn't make anything better or even really change anything. However, some how the way he said it gave her an odd sense of hope. After all he hadn't flat out said no. That attached with the way he was looking at her and the way he touched her gave her a small sense of optimism. It was odd for Lorelai to be hopeful. The last time Lorelai had hope was when she had asked Luke what he was thinking at _Doose's. _She had hope when she had asked the question and the second she heard his reply all her hope had left, and she didn't think she would ever see it again.

Luke stood up and reached his hand out for Lorelai. "Come on, you look tired lets get that stupid inflatable mattress out."

"Okay." Lorelai said quietly as she accepted Luke's outstretched hand.

* * *

Luke and Lorelai came back out of the office with their hands full. Lorelai had calmed herself down after her mini breakdown and was now carrying the pillows and blanket. Meanwhile, Luke was carrying in the inflatable mattress. 

Once back in the studio Luke sat down on the ground and began to open up the box with the mattress inside of it.

"I always wondered how one of these blow up by themselves mattresses work." Luke stated as he pulled the mattress out of the box.

Lorelai then crouched down next to him to take a look at the mattress in question.

"Well, I guess I will read the directions and figure it out." Luke surmised.

Luke took the directions out of the box and began to silently read them.

"Or we could do this and see what happens." Lorelai suggested as she pulled a red cord that was dangling from the uninflated mattress.

After a small popping noise the mattress immediately began to expand.

"Oh yay, that worked look at me being all handy." Lorelai smiled.

"Guess I don't need these." Luke said putting the directions back into the box.

"Ya know if I ever were to go camping I would get one of these babies! I mean I don't know why I would ever go camping. I mean sleeping on the ground, not my thing. In fact I don't think I have ever been camping. I think that the closest I ever got to camping was when Rory was obsessed with _Troop Beverly Hills_ and she made me watch it with her over and over again. She would run around the house singing '_it's cookie time, it's cookie time, it's cook- eee time!_' Anyway I am getting off track here but it was really fun to pull that cord. Maybe, I will get one of these mattresses anyways and blow it up in the living room or something." Lorelai declared.

"Well everyone needs goals." Luke lightly joked.

Lorelai didn't comment on what Luke had said because when she looked at the now fully inflated mattress her mind went somewhere else.

"Hey Luke," Lorelai started.

"Yes." Luke returned.

"Well, you know we only have one blanket, right?" Lorelai questioned.

"Yes, I am aware." Luke said not sure where she was headed with this.

"Right, so one blanket, one mattress, two of us," Lorelai continued.

"Yes, Lorelai I understand what we have and how many of us there are." It slowly dawned on Luke where this conversation was going.

"So I guess I was just wondering, um, how is this whole sleeping arrangement going to go down?" Lorelai shyly asked.

Luke looked intently at her before gave her his answer.

**_(A/N 2: In my head this is where we would fade to black. Ha ha.)_**


	4. Downward Facing Dog and Other Colossal T...

**How You Picture Things**

**Authors Note: **Chapter 4, how exciting!I have actually had this chapter ready since Thursday but this place has been having issues... Anyway, I have to say once again I am loving the reviews. Remember reviews make me happy and happy people write more. I read that in the latest issue of some very official medical journal. I didn't even realize I was being mean by leaving the last chapter where I did but some of your reviews were pretty funny. Oh and a little side note from chapter 3 the _Troop Beverly Hills_ thing might have been taken from my own life experiences ha ha. Okay on with the show.

**Spoilers:** None.

**Premise**: Set after _"Jews and Chinese Food_" But before, _"So Good Talk." _The whole town wants Luke and Lorelai to get back together so they decide to do something about it.

**Chapter 4: "Downward Facing Dog and Other Colossal Things"**

* * *

"_**Leave me be, I don't want to argue, I'd just get confused and I'd come all undone."** Time, Sarah McLachlan_

* * *

"Well, you can take the mattress and the blanket. I will just sleep on one of those blue thingies we have been sitting on." Luke calmly answered Lorelai's question.

"Luke, those things are not at all comfortable. You shouldn't have to sleep on one of them." Lorelai responded.

"They're fine." Luke shrugged.

"Ya they're fine for downward facing dog, but not for sleeping." Lorelai declared.

"What the hell is downward facing dog?" Luke asked bewildered.

Lorelai knew that now was probably not the time for jokes, but she could not help but respond "Well Luke, it's this really kinky thing where you get really low down and…"

"Lorelai," Luke said in a tone that warned her not to continue. _What in the hell does she think she is doing?_ Luke thought. _She is being Lorelai. That is what she is doing, but man doesn't she know that this is a very delicate situation we are in?_

"Relax! I am kidding, Luke. Downward facing dog is a yoga position. It is also so not the point. The point is I am not going to make you sleep on a yoga mat with no blanket."

"You aren't making me do anything, Lorelai. I am offering." Luke reasoned.

"Luke, forget for one second the uncomfortableness of those stupid mats. It's like 40 outside and it's only going to get colder. You will freeze without a blanket." Lorelai logically stated.

"Well, do you have a better idea?" Luke asked looking at Lorelai squarely and almost a bit suggestively in the eyes. Hell, if Lorelai could walk that fine line of what was acceptable behavior between the two of them with her little joke, then he could certainly do it with a look.

The look that Luke gave Lorelai made her all kinds of nervous. A simple look made a million thoughts float around in her overactive head._ What the hell was I thinking joking about sex with Luke? I do that and now he just throws out this smoldering super intense look all casually. I mean that was one intense look he just gave me. What does this all mean? Where should he sleep, on the mattress with me? Am I reading too much into a look? I am a little scared! Okay I need to play it cool, hot shot. Okay don't call yourself hot shot, even if it's only in your own head. Great now I am thought rambling..._

"Yeah, I will take the mat and you take the mattress and blanket." Lorelai said without really thinking. She was just trying to back down from the risky path she felt her and Luke had begun to travel.

"Now, you have got to be kidding me. You just finished explaining to me that no one should have to sleep on one of those mats, and that it's freezing outside. What you are now unaffected by temperature? You should have told me I was dealing with Super Lorelai. I mean you could have used your magical super powers to get us out of this place hours ago. It's a God damn wonder you didn't say something sooner…" Luke ranted.

Lorelai looked at Luke as he was talking and silently wondered where this was all coming from. By the time he was finished with his rant Lorelai had gone from disorientated to really pissed off.

"Hey, stop it! I was trying to be nice. I have been holding my tongue with you. I have been letting you do, or say, or not say, or look, or not look, however you wanted. I have been feeling like I deserved what ever I had coming, but that is enough of that. I swear I am beginning to think you are bipolar. One minute you are so sweet and nice and the next minute you are this colossal ass." Lorelai yelled.

"I am an ass? I am a colossal ass?" Luke yelled. "That's rich Lorelai. Yes that is it exactly, our entire relationship I have been a colossal ass. I am the colossal ass that builds you a freakin' ice rink, makes you a shelf for your toothpaste, and buys you a stupid TV. Oh and now I am the horrible guy who offered you a mattress and a blanket. You are right. What was I thinking? I am such a bastard!" Luke bitterly roared.

Lorelai was so angry that she barely noticed that Luke was talking about their relationship like it was in the present tense.

"No, Luke you are the colossal ass who wouldn't listen to me when I tried to explain to you what the hell happened at the wedding. You are the one who came to my house and yelled at me about a children's production of _Fiddler on the Roof_. You are the ass of a guy who didn't even have the decency to call or leave a note before you stole your boat out of my garage." Lorelai screamed straining her voice.

Luke didn't know how to respond to that. He realized that she was right and it made him a little sick. He had been so concerned with what she had done. He was so caught up in how much he was hurting. He wasn't really fully aware that during the course of their break up he had been behaving like such a jerk.

He had no come back for Lorelai and the adrenaline he had built up while he was yelling was still pulsing through his veins. So after a moment he quickly changed the subject.

"I hate this stupid town with everything inside of me!" Luke frustratedly said, as he simultaneously rubbed the temples of his head with his fingers.

"Well, that's one direction to take this thing in." Lorelai sarcastically replied and then oddly enough she almost laughed. Luke's comment made her realize the absurdity of the entire situation that they were in. They were literally being held captive by an entire town. They had to sleep in a dance studio. They had nothing to distract themselves from each other. This whole situation was absurd no wonder they were yelling at each other. When she became conscious of all this all the anger she was feeling just a second before began to rapidly deflate.

Without the anger to cloud her head Lorelai's emotions were now all mixed up. In one way it _had_ felt good to get all that stuff off of her chest. In another way she felt horrible for yelling at him like that. Despite what she had said Luke was a good man. Hell, that's why all this hurt so much because faults and all he was the best man. He was the best man that Lorelai didn't have him anymore. She figured her safest bet was to just get back to the original subject and try let the whole thing go.

"Listen Luke, let's just share the mattress and blanket. Despite are little yelling escapade just now we are adults. It doesn't have to be this huge deal." Lorelai announced.

"Are you sure? I am not so convinced it's the best idea for us to be in such close proximity with each other." Luke said in a much calmer tone, referring to the fight they just had.

"I promise I won't accidentally have sex with you. If that is what you are worried about." Lorelai quipped. _Great there I go again with the inappropriate comments. _Lorelai thought just after the words left her mouth. _We were just fighting one second ago. What the hell is wrong with me? I am so not playing it cool._

"Aw jeez, Lorelai that is not what I meant. I meant we were both just so angry and…" Luke embarrassedly tried to explain.

"I know Luke. Listen I am willing to put it all aside if you are. I can do that. The question is can you?" Lorelai inquired innocently

She hadn't meant anything by her comment but to Luke it came out almost sounding like a challenge. So Luke decided If Lorelai could sleep next to him without any kind of problems then he certainly could do it too.

"I can do that." Luke answered with more confidence then he actually felt.

"Well, good then that is settled." Lorelai pronounced.

Luke and Lorelai simultaneously looked down at the mattress. They both knew one thing for sure this was going to be one long night.

* * *

It was Midnight at Miss Patty's dance studio and the place was as quiet as can be. The only interruption to the silence was the occasional sound of a cricket from outside, and the slight sound of ticking from the one and only clock in the room. It had been exactly one hour since Luke and Lorelai first climbed into their makeshift bed. They both laid flat on their backs and neither one of the pair was anywhere close to being asleep. 

Lorelai was far too busy to sleep because she was making a very conscious effort to stare at the ceiling, and not steal a look in Luke's direction. Luke was also too busy for sleep because he was concentrating on his effort to make sure that he did not accidentally touch Lorelai. His endeavor was not the easiest task because they were sharing a fairly small blanket on the tiniest of beds, so making sure they didn't accidentally brush up against each other was a full time job. Luke and Lorelai were both concentrating so intently on the person that was lying next to them that neither one of them could manage to be anything but wide awake.

"Luke," Lorelai whispered.

"Yes." Luke quickly responded.

"Are you awake?" Lorelai asked.

"Yes." Luke answered.

"Are you sure?" Lorelai asked her voice still in a whisper.

"No, actually I am not sure. Am I awake? Are any of us ever really awake? Have I fallen into the _Matrix_?" Luke joked.

"Hey, when did you start having a sense of humor?" Lorelai inquired.

"It's always been there somewhere." Luke grumbled.

A short silence followed before Lorelai once again tried to start a conversation.

"Hey, Luke," Lorelai started again.

"Yes, Lorelai," Luke asked with a slight agitation in his voice.

"Well, it's just…" Lorelai quietly trailed off.

"It's just…" Luke prompted.

"I am sorry about yelling at you earlier." Lorelai said so gently Luke almost didn't hear her.

"You don't need to be sorry. You were right I have been a jerk, or as you so delicately put it a colossal ass." Luke sincerely stated.

"Most of the time you haven't been a jerk though. I mean if the situation was reversed I don't know if I could have been as nice as you have been. I mean I have been a giant mess all night long and you have been so understanding. Plus, you were right about what you said. You were the guy who did all those nice things for me. For God sakes Luke you built me my own ice rink and I am just the idiot who…." Lorelai quietly confessed.

"You aren't an idiot." Luke cut Lorelai off before she could continue. Then he shifted his body to the side to look at her. "Believe me, I am the idiot."

Lorelai turned her body as Luke spoke and for the first time since she entered the bed with him she was face to face with Luke.

"Maybe we can just leave it at we are both idiots." Lorelai said almost inaudibly.

It wasn't until after Lorelai spoke that she noticed how close she was to Luke's face. Luke on the other hand had immediately noticed their close proximity. Looking deeply into Lorelai's eyes Luke quietly exhaled. He was so close to her that Lorelai felt a warm tingle on her cheek from the action. Luke instinctively began to move closer to her.

"Idiots," he hoarsely whispered mere inches from her face.

"Idiots," Lorelai quietly repeated shaking her head and closing her eyes tightly.

Lorelai didn't know if she could endure this torture anymore. He was so close to her and she was one second away from leaning in and closing the remaining space between them. Before Lorelai even had the chance to put her plan into action she felt Luke's lips quickly crash on to hers.

Luke didn't know what he was doing but he knew he couldn't stop if he tried. The feeling of once again having Lorelai's lips on his was intoxicating. The only thing he could concentrate on was finding a way to be even closer to Lorelai. He desperately wanted to feel her again. He desperately wanted to make himself feel in one piece again.

Lorelai was so amazed to have Luke's lips on her own that it took her a second to return the kiss. Once over the initial shock of doing something she truly believed she would never be able to do again, she began to respond to Luke's insistent kiss. Lorelai opened her mouth to make the kiss deeper and Luke's lips simultaneously parted to let her in.

Lorelai never wanted to see the end of this moment. She was trying to savor every second and sensation she was having with Luke. Once they established their rhythm they began to really sink into their kisses. Each kiss they shared was long and demanding. The only time their lips would leave each other was to gasp for air and then dive right back in. Everything that had been pent up between the two of them was being released in their exchange.

Luke hands then made their way to Lorelai's waist and he gently pulled her to him, so that her body was flat up against his. Luke snaked his hands around Lorelai's stomach finally resting his hands directly on the warm skin of her back. He firmly held her to him as they kissed making sure that every part of their bodies was in contact with each other. Lorelai released a small moan into Luke's mouth as she reveled in the feeling of their bodies encountering each other.

Lorelai couldn't ever remember being kissed by Luke like this before. The kissing was just as wonderful as it always was, but the sense of need, the intensity of what was happening was palpable. Not even their first kiss at the Dragon Fly could compare to what Lorelai was experiencing now. Without question their first kiss had been amazing. Yes, there was a twinge of need in it, but that kiss was more about a want, and a sense of relief of finally being on the same page. This kiss however was pure need, pure desire, and pure passion. Before this very moment in each others arms, neither Luke nor Lorelai were aware that the level of intensity they were reaching even existed.

**_(A/N 2: See I am nice, I didn't cut it off before they kissed )…)_**


	5. Seinfeld and Magical Solutions

**How You Picture Things**

**Authors Note:**Well, this is an interesting chapter for me. At first I had one way I thought I was going to go with it, but then this other idea popped into my head and I ran with it. Hopefully it all works. As always every person who reviewed is great and I heart them. The reviews are really such a great motivator to get me to write and they are all completely appreciated. Okay so on with the show….

**Spoilers:** None.

**Premise**: Set after _"Jews and Chinese Food_" But before, _"So Good Talk." _The whole town wants Luke and Lorelai to get back together so they decide to do something about it.

**Chapter 5 "Seinfeld and Magical Solutions": **

* * *

"_**We've just got to take our time. It's like nothing really matters so let's make this moment a crime." **Let's Make This Moment a Crime, The Format_

_

* * *

_

Luke swiftly repositioned himself to lie on top of Lorelai. The whole time he was maneuvering his and Lorelai's bodies he made sure his lips never left hers . Luke could not get enough of Lorelai and he wanted her more then he had ever wanted anything. Lorelai felt like she getting drunk off of Luke's kisses. His lips were intoxicating and she never wanted the kissing to end. Eventually, Luke's lips did move from Lorelai's but it was only so he could slowly begin to kiss along the line of her jaw. He took his time with each kiss, making sure to kiss and nibble at every bit of her skin. He gradually made his way down to her neck paying careful attention to the spots he knew were sensitive. Lorelai let out a slight moan as Luke worked his magic on the hollow of her throat. Luke began to make his way down her chest, kissing along the outline of her v neck top. Suddenly, Lorelai felt the need to pull away from Luke. By no means did she want him to stop doing what he was doing. What was happening felt amazing but her and Luke had not talked about what any of this meant. She felt like she needed some clarification as to what was really happening before she got into deep.

"Luke, wait." Lorelai whispered.

Luke looked up from Lorelai chest expectantly.

"Maybe we should talk about this." Lorelai said her voice a little raw.

"Talking is overrated." Luke breathed.

Luke quickly made his way back up to Lorelai mouth and their lips collided. Lorelai felt Luke's tongue slip into her mouth as his hands began to ease her shirt up her stomach. Without really thinking about it she let him lift her body up and pull her shirt over her head. With her shirt now discarded, Luke pushed Lorelai back on to the mattress and pinned he hands over her head. Then he dipped down to meet her lips and began a breathtaking assault on her mouth. As Lorelai felt Luke's weight on top of her she said to hell with talking, and thinking, and well to everything. She put all of her concentration where she knew it should be with the man on top of her. The rest of their clothes were quickly discarded and soon they were both savoring in something they thought they had lost.

* * *

After a few minutes of blissful incoherence Lorelai was able to get her breathing back to normal. As her breathing settled her mind began to form some sort of rational thoughts. The first thoughts to fill her delightfully clouded head were all about how amazing things had been between her and Luke. She was in awe of the intensity she felt within her while Luke was making love to her. She was even more surprised to feel that same intensity radiating from him. Lorelai's body felt all tingly and numb and if she concentrated hard enough she could still feel a burning sensation all the places that Luke's lips had been. For the first time in a month she felt a deep sense of peace. This particularly satisfying peace was one she had only ever felt when she was with Luke. The peace was finally back and she was incredibly happy. Her heart felt complete, her body felt sated, and she never wanted it to stop.

In fact she was feeling so utterly good she decided to sneak a peek at the man who was responsible for her mood. She shifted her head to glance at Luke and was greeted with a completely unreadable expression coming from him. Whatever the look was it didn't seem to be a positive one. It definitely wasn't the look of complete tranquility that was plastered on Lorelai's face. She wasn't exactly sure what she had expected to see when she looked at him but that look was not it. She would have anticipated a sleepy grin or maybe that satisfied intense eye thing he normally did post coital but not this look. She became instantly nervous and glanced away quickly in the hopes that Luke hadn't seen her looking at him.

Luke's body finally settled and he began to travel back to this plain of existence. Suddenly the words Lorelai had said before they made love came back to him. She had asked to talk and he had dismissed it. He now thought that might have been a mistake. If she had wanted to talk he should have let her. He was just so caught up in his need to be with her again, he wasn't thinking clearly. He felt like maybe he should bring it up now and let her say what she had wanted to say. He was trying to think of a good way to bring it up, but verbal wasn't really his thing.

Lorelai swiftly shifted to stare at the ceiling and almost immediately a small layer of unshed tears filled her eyes. All at once her stomach tied into a giant knot and the tingly warm feeling her body was filled with just a second before quickly turned icy cold. She suddenly realized that what just happened might not have meant to Luke what it had meant to her. She felt like she had just been sucker punched by reality. Lorelai began to silently berate herself for being so stupid. There had been a very good reason why she had tried to pull away from Luke earlier. She had wanted to talk to him and figure out what everything meant before things went too far. She had wanted to make sure she was not going to get her heart broken all over again. Hell, even if she did know that she would get her heart broken again she might have still done it, but at least she would have been mentally prepared. She had gotten so damn caught up in Luke, and in the moment, that she just wasn't thinking long term. She was an adult and she knew that sometimes sex was just sex. Sometimes sex was nothing more than fulfilling a physical need. Even the best sex of your life didn't magically fix a broken relationship. Sex alone didn't make everything all better between two screwed up people. From past experience she knew that most times sex with an ex just made things messy and complicated, and rarely did it end the way she wanted it to.

Lorelai had no idea what Luke was thinking. She didn't know what his intentions were or if what happened changed anything between them. What made her even more frustrated was that fact that she had almost no control in this entire situation. Her wanting to be back with Luke didn't mean anything unless he wanted it too. It was maddening to her that she knew what she wanted and hoped for, what she needed, and what she'd settle for, and also know at the same time that none of it made one bit of difference. All of her hopes, wants, and needs in this situation were dependent on the man who lied next to her. At the moment he was a completely silent man whose face was covered in an expression that Lorelai could only describe as solemn. Those facts didn't make things look too promising in Lorelai's eyes and she cursed the fact that he was the guy who currently held every card in their relationship.

She was used to being in control in a relationship. Since Christopher she had always made sure she was the one who decided how things went when she was with someone. She was used to having all the cards when it came to a guy. Having none of them was beginning to make her really angry. Her frustration mounted until it finally moved her to speak.

"So what does this all mean?" Lorelai asked trying to keep her tone as even as possible.

Lorelai's voice broke Luke out of the daze he was in. "What does what mean?"

After Luke spoke he and Lorelai simultaneously sat up on the air mattress. Lorelai gripped the blanket tightly around her before she spoke.

"Don't do that." Lorelai warned.

"Don't do what?" Luke asked.

"That. Answer a question with a question. You and I both know what I meant." Lorelai responded her tone rising.

"Where is this coming from? Why are you acting like this?" Luke asked bewildered. "Oh I am sorry that was that another question…"

"Damn it Luke. You think this is funny?" Lorelai said in frustration.

"Seriously, why are you getting so angry? I mean what just happened was so… and now you're… You're… I don't know what the hell you're doing." Luke said equally as frustrated.

"Oh come on Luke. You knew what I was asking. I mean what does this mean for us. After all it is _**all**_ up to you…" Lorelai said in a pointed tone.

"It is not all up to me…" Luke declared.

"Yes, it is Luke. You know where I stand. You have all the hand…" Lorelai said indignantly.

"What?" Luke yelled completely frustrated.

"You know from that episode of _Seinfeld_, oh never mind… I mean that you have the upper hand in this relationship. It's all up to you. Did what we do mean nothing? Was it a one time thing, or is this going to happen again? Will it be friends with benefits, booty calls, or do you want to get back together. See Luke, I get to have all the questions and you are the only one who can give me any answers." Lorelai bitterly explained.

Luke was hurt. He had thought he had shown her without words what he wanted. He thought he had demonstrated to her how much he needed and wanted her. He thought that his actions did the talking for him, but he was beginning to see how wrong that idea was.

"Lorelai, I can't believe you would think that I could be like that, especially with you." Luke said in tone that was more upset than angry.

Now it was Lorelai's turn question. "Be like what?"

"Like one of those smarmy jerky ass guys who don't care about anyone but themselves. They just do whatever they want and whoever they want and there is nothing behind it…" Luke ranted.

"I didn't say that." Lorelai tried to defend herself.

"Yeah you did. Sure you didn't come right out and say it but clearly in your mind you thought that it was a possibility. In your head you thought I might be the kind of guy who would just have sex with you and then afterwards be like '_oh this meant nothing, but hey maybe one night if I am lonely enough I will call you and we can hook up again'_. I don't understand how you think I could do something like that. God damn it Lorelai, before anything ever happened between us I was your friend. I thought you would know me better than that. Hell, when we were just friends if you would have told me that some guy did something like that to you, I would found him and kicked his ass. That is the kind of guy I am, Lorelai. If you don't know that by now, you never will…" Luke shouted his hurt turning quickly into anger.

"I know that, Luke. I do know that. I am sorry I shouldn't have said what I said. I just didn't know where we stood. I am not good with uncertainty and I'm sorry…" Lorelai softly apologized.

"I can't give you certainty, and there are no guarantees in life, Lorelai. But you wanted to know what I thought this all meant well then I will tell you. I thought that making love to you meant we were going to try and work things out. But I am beginning to think that was a mistake. I mean after the wedding you didn't know me well enough to know that I needed time to process everything that happened. I asked you for time and instead you just accosted me at Doose's, and I kept telling you I wasn't ready and you wouldn't listen. And now you think I am this guy who would totally screw with your mind, and literally screw you over …" Luke said in calmer but extremely sad tone.

"No, no, no this can not be happening again." Lorelai said her voice thick with emotion. She grabbed Luke's hand had held it tightly. She looked at him directly in the eyes and willed him to listen to her. "We need to calm down and talk about this like adults. What we just did was incredible and I am so sorry I freaked out. I want nothing more then to be with you, Luke. I think you are kind and wonderful and I do know deep down that you would never do anything like that to me. I just got scared. Please believe me when I say that the only thing that I want is to work this out."

Luke had tried to really listen, but he still wasn't sure, "But if we can't even…"

"Luke can you please give us this one last chance. I think we both deserve one more chance at least to talk. To clear the air…" Lorelai softly implored.

"Okay." Luke said quietly. He didn't want to lose Lorelai anymore than she wanted to be lost. Luke knew she was right. After everything that had just happened she deserved a chance to speak. "I'm listening."

Lorelai was slightly caught off guard. She had her chance to possibly fix things between them and suddenly she didn't know what to say. "Um...Okay where to start. I guess at the beginning… I guess this really all started with Christopher…" She saw Luke's face cringe at the mention of his name but she continued anyway. "I know I already said it, but I need to make it extremely clear that nothing happened there. Absolutely nothing and I was the world's biggest idiot for lying to you about it. I mean it's almost ironic. This was the first time in my life where I saw Chris and there was absolutely nothing but friendship type feelings for the man. He and I are so over. He was so in the past, and I was so head over heels for you. I know it may sound weird but I guess that's why I lied to you. Things were going so good with us. It was the best relationship I have ever been in and I just didn't want a bump in the road. I didn't want you to question anything or be jealous in anyway and that is why I kept it from you. I see now that by lying to you I created the questions and doubt. If I had been honest I know things would have ended differently."

Luke looked like he was about to say something but when it was clear that he wasn't Lorelai continued.

"I realized after that horrendous wedding how much of an idiot I had been. I was taking advantage of you and how great you were. I wasn't being the best girlfriend that I could be. I mean you had told me at the beginning of this relationship you were '_all in'_ and I never gave you that same reassurance. That was a really crappy thing to do. I suddenly became conscious of how much I needed you and I promised myself I would do better. I would treat you better and try and be a better person. I wanted to have the chance to be someone who deserved you," Lorelai emphatically stated.

"Lorelai, I never thought you weren't a good girlfriend or a good person. You are amazing and being with you was by far the happiest time in my life. You have to understand that at that wedding that I was getting hit from all directions. You had lied to me, your mom hated me so much she told Christopher that he should try and get back together with you, and that shmuck was in my face saying all these horrible things. I just really needed some time alone with everything..." Luke trailed off.

"I completely understand. I should have given you that time. I should have respected what you wanted. But, at the time I had just talked to Sookie. She had told me this story about a couple who took 40 years to get back together after a break. So after that downer, I go to clear my head and outside the whole town is acting like we are broken up forever. They were wearing those stupid ribbons, and it just made me feel desperate. Then I saw you and I felt that if I didn't talk to you right then I would lose you forever. I had this overwhelming need to fix things and let you know how important our relationship was to me. It was the wrong decision and it ended up causing exactly what I didn't want to have happen, happen." Lorelai explained.

"I get that. If things had been reversed who knows how I would have reacted. I don't want you to think that I think this is entirely your fault, because it isn't. I could have done a lot of things differently. I shouldn't have blown up at Doose's like that. I should have tried to listen to you. After we broke up I shouldn't have been such an ass. You were right taking that boat without talking to you was a really mean thing to do. Lorelai, I really want to fix this. I am just not good at thing kind of thing."

"You are better than you think. I guess it's really all about what we want." Lorelai said.

"I want to be with you, Lorelai." Luke firmly stated.

"That's all I want too…" Lorelai confirmed.

"So then how do we make sure that is what happens? How do we stop this from happening again? I don't think I have it in me to handle losing you again." Luke sincerely responded.

"I think we do what we just did. We talk with each other. We don't lie and we don't retreat. We both try our best to be adults, even though it doesn't seem to be our particular area of expertise." Lorelai surmised.

"I will try my best. For you I will try." Luke promised.

"And so will I. For you I will try." Lorelai repeated his last words with a slight teasing tone.

"So does this mean I can kiss you?" Luke asked with a smile.

"You better." Lorelai replied.

After she spoke she leaned over and kissed Luke soundly on the lips. He was about to make the kiss deeper when she pulled away. Luke looked at her expectantly, wondering why she had retreated.

"In the interest of complete honesty, there is something else I think I need to tell you. I mean something I want to tell you before anything else happens. Or well in this case happens again." Lorelai started nervously.

"Okay." Luke said now a little nervous himself about whatever it was Lorelai might have to say.

"I actually promised myself if I ever got another chance with you I would say this. I almost chickened out but it's something I think needs to be said. Well, it's something I feel, and I want to say but its okay if you don't want to say it. Or even if you don't feel it right now. I mean it's not like we both have to be ready for the same things at the same time. This isn't some fairytale, this is real life and I get that…"

"Lorelai, Lorelai, you are babbling," Luke interrupted talking over Lorelai.

Lorelai didn't even hear him she was too busy with her little speech. "It's just, I love you. I love you, Luke. There I said it."

Since Luke was talking he wasn't one hundred percent sure he had heard what Lorelai had just said correctly.

"Did you just say you loved me?" Luke asked shocked.

"Uh maybe," Lorelai said with uncertainty.

_**(A/N 2: This cliffhanger thing is fun…..)**_


	6. From Here to Eternity and the Flintstone...

**How You Picture Things**

**Authors Note: **Well here is chapter 6. It's a little less intense then the previous chapters but hopefully in a good way. Everyone who reviews is awesome and keep on doing what you are doing.

_Couple fun things I wanted to respond to from the last set of reviews: _I also hate people who answer a question with a question. I never thought about the town might be watching and that would be kind of gross ha ha. I was going for realistic which is why they ended up sleeping together before they talked. Oh and this chapter has no cliffhanger so everyone feel special and loved.

**Spoilers:** None.

**Premise**: Set after _"Jews and Chinese Food_" But before, _"So Good Talk." _The whole town wants Luke and Lorelai to get back together so they decide to do something about it.

**Chapter 6 "From Here to Eternity and the Flintstones":**

* * *

"**_Love is the answer, at least for most of the questions in my heart. Why are we here? And where do we go? And how come it's so hard? It's not always easy and sometimes life can be deceiving, I'll tell you one thing, i_**_**t's always better when we're together."** Better Together, Jack Johnson_

* * *

_Previously on How You Picture Things:_

"Did you just say you loved me?" Luke asked shocked.

"Uh maybe," Lorelai said with uncertainty.

* * *

"You uh maybe, _love_ me?" Luke asked again still in shock. 

Lorelai glanced at Luke's face and the dumfoundedexpression that she saw there made her extremely panicky. In fact she was rapidly reaching a level of nervousness that felt remarkably like what she always assumed a heart attack would be like. She was visibly shaking, her palms were sweating, and her heart was palpitating. She didn't know what else he expected her to say to him. She had just said the scariest three words of her life, and all Luke could do was ask her to say it again without any kind of reciprocity. At the beginning of her confession she had told Luke it was okay if he didn't feel the same way however, now that those words were just hanging out there she really needed to hear him say it back. This just wasn't right, and it wasn't fair, and it was completely freaking Lorelai out.

"**You love me**?" Luke repeated once again. In Luke's stunned state he was talking more to himself then he was to Lorelai.

"No…" Lorelai unconvincingly replied. She was trying desperately to get some sense of dignity back.

"What?" Luke went from shocked to completely confused, "but you just said…"

"Well, if you heard what I said then why do you keep asking me?" Lorelai returned a bit sharply.

Luke put his hands to his face in frustration. _What in the hell is happening._ His overly tired brain screamed.

"Are you taking it back?" Luke asked confused.

"I don't know. Should I be taking it back?" Lorelai questioned shakily.

Then finally something clicked in Luke's overcrowded brain and he got what she was doing. Lorelai had said she loved him and all he did was ask her over and over again to repeat it. He hadn't said anything in return. She had just done this huge scary thing, and he was quickly winning the award for world's biggest idiot.

"I don't want you too." Luke honestly replied.

"You don't?" Lorelai said softly.

"No, cause then I am the idiot in love by himself." Luke whispered and grabbed Lorelai's hand.

"You love me?" Lorelai uttered.

"Hey, that's my line." Luke said with a smile. Luke leaned in a placed a light kiss on Lorelai's lips.

"So we love each other." Lorelai beamed.

"Yes we do. I love you Lorelai." Luke said seriously.

"Word of advice next time a girl tells you she loves you for the first time, don't ask questions. Start off with the 'I love you too'. It makes a girl a little crazy to be on that tiny ledge all by herself flailing around…." Lorelai lightly teased.

"I don't plan on ever being in that particular situation again. You are it for me, but thanks for the advice." Luke laughed.

If it was possible at his words Lorelai began to smile even wider. She just stared at him with this huge smile on her face and she couldn't stop it if she had wanted to. She would almost have been embarrassed if an equally huge smile hadn't made its way to Luke's face. They held hands and smiled at each other for a good five minutes without saying a single word to each other.

Luke and Lorelai had never been sappy emotional people. They just weren't the gazing lovingly into their significant others eyes kind of individuals. They had certainly never been those saccharine people with anyone they had dated before each other. Even after they got together they still hadn't been that type of people to be overly fluffy in their relationship. But hearing those words from each other was making them temporarily and fabulously insane. The feeling they both had knowing they were loved by someone that they loved so much was making them want to do completely out of character things.

It made Lorelai want to go out and buy every sugary sweet love song she could find. Suddenly, every ballad that used to make her want to gag was now completely prolific. Every song her and Rory would mercilessly mock she now wished was playing in the background. She was so far gone that she wanted to tell _Foreigner_ that she knew what love was, and it was Luke that had showed her….

As for Luke weird thoughts began to fill his head about romantic walks on the beach and starlit nights with Lorelai. Before, Luke was the kind of guy who would see that famous beach scene in _From Here to Eternity_ and rant about the impracticality of doing it on the beach. All sex on the beach lead to was sand in places sand should never be. It lead to sharp rocks, and shells poking at you, and an intense fear of being bit by some kind of tiny sea creature. But now in Luke's minds eye he was picturing Lorelai running to him on the beach in some kind of gauzy white thing. They would slowly meet each other and he didn't quite know what would happen next. Maybe, he would read her poetry or something isn't that what sappy people did? Maybe, he would just have his way with her that sounded better, a little more Luke like. Somewhere in the back of his mind Luke noted that if he wasn't so happy he would really be scared for himself right about now.

Neither Luke nor Lorelai knew who had started it but suddenly the room was filled with the sounds of their laughter. In fact both of them were laughing so hard that they fell back on to the air mattress with quite a bounce.

Lorelai reached for Luke's hand once more as she spoke through her giggles. "Ya know it's a good thing no one was around to witness that little smile a thon we just had. I mean I think for the first time in my life I actually now know what people meant when they described a smile as a goofy grin. I mean if this goofy grin thing got out you would totally lose all your street cred. Your rep would be ruined and you would be kicked out of every gruff manly man club you belong to."

"Ya good thing, you know how much my reputation means to me. I mean I'd hate for _Fred_ and _Barney_ and the rest of the guys at the lodge to think differently of me…" Luke laughed.

"_Flintstones_, I am impressed. I commend you on your reference, Luke. I mean seriously awesome ref!" Lorelai Paused before continuing. "If I tell you something will you promise not to judge me?"

"Of course…" Luke said with a little added seriousness in his voice.

"While we were having Smile a thon 2005 I started thinking that maybe all those love songs I had always mocked had some merit…" Lorelai guilty admitted.

"Ya know I would judge you if my thoughts hadn't been equally as lame." Luke laughed relieved at her benign confession.

"Tell me." Lorelai immediately responded.

"Um, no." Luke quickly returned.

"Tell me!" Lorelai ordered.

"No." Luke held firm.

"Come on LUUKKKKEEE!" Lorelai whined.

"Lorelai, no!"

"Pleasssse I told you mine!" Lorelai tried.

"Nope still not going to tell you," Luke decisively said.

"If you loved me…" Lorelai started.

"Don't you think it's a little early to play that card?" Luke said with a laugh.

"Fine don't tell me. It's totally fine. I am so fine with it, I feel like singing one of love songs I was thinking weren't so bad. I know how you love with a lot of '_ooooo''s _my voice. In fact I think I will do that great thing I do where I personalize the song to you…." Lorelai mock threatened.

"Please don't…" Luke started.

"I also think I will sing it again to the town when we get out of here tomorrow. You know as like a thank you," She added.

"Lorelai," Luke warned.

As he said her name Lorelai had already began to sing or in this case screech_, "Some say love is like a river, Luke! That drowns the tender reed, Luke!"_

"Okay jeez stop that immediately and I will tell you." Luke finally relented. He would have done anything to make that noise stop.

"Wise choice grasshopper," Lorelai smiled triumphantly.

"I may have been thinking about us on a beach, like that one movie…" Luke sheepishly admitted.

"Oh wow Luke you got it bad!" Lorelai joked.

"I am not the one singing _Bette Midler_ songs." Luke reminded.

"I don't know what to do with the fact that you knew that was a _Bette Midler_ song." Lorelai laughed.

Luke opened his mouth to speak but Lorelai rolled on top of him and put her hand over his mouth.

"Don't try and explain. I feel it might be best for the both of us if I don't know why you know that particular tidbit." Lorelai amusedly pronounced.

Lorelai swiftly took her hand off of his mouth and immediately replaced it with her lips. Luke and Lorelai began to unhurriedly kiss each other. They kissed slow and sweet. They took their time with each other's mouths making every moment and movement count. The need and hurriedness of their previous kisses that night were gone. What it was replaced with a much gentler more peaceful feeling. Lorelai lightly kissed the corners of Luke's mouth before she pulled away slightly and rested her head on Luke's chest.

Luke loved the feel of Lorelai's body weight on top of his, and the way her dark curly hair was slightly tickling his nose, and how perfectly she fit in to his arms. He just loved the woman he was holding so much that he wanted to make everything at the diner on the house tomorrow as a show of gratitude to the town. The thought was fleeting and was immediately chased out of his head because yes he was happy but he wasn't out of his mind. Grumpy Luke returned to remind him that the town had kidnapped him and Lorelai and they shouldn't be rewarded no matter how pleasant the results.

"Remind me to thank everyone who was in on this scheme when we get out of here tomorrow." Lorelai happily sighed. "Maybe, I will buy Sookie something pretty."

"Actually, it's like two am right now so technically we get out of here today." Luke corrected.

"Would it be weird if I told you I didn't want to leave?" Lorelai quietly asked.

"A little, I mean this mattress and itchy blanket is not exactly the Ritz..." Luke began kidding around.

"I just meant…" Lorelai started to say. She was a little bit sad that he didn't get what she was trying to express.

"I get it, Lorelai. I could stay like this forever." Luke confessed quietly.

Lorelai was amazed that those words had come out of Luke's mouth. She was astonished that the monosyllabic guy she had always known was now the same guy telling her he loved her and the he never wanted to leave. It moved her so much she almost wanted to cry.

"You can be very sweet when you want to be." Lorelai whispered.

"Just don't let it get out. I do have that reputation to protect." Luke said a little sleepily.

"Well, I have known for years…. and so has Rory… and well I think the rest of the town sometimes gets a glimmer…" Lorelai said with a yawn.

Lorelai gently rolled off of Luke's body and began to snuggle against his side. She was still safely in his arms.

"You're babbling…." Luke said in a sleepy voice. "Let's sleep."

"Good Idea." Lorelai yawned and immediately closed her eyes.

Luke's arms tightened around Lorelai's body as he too closed his eyes. Within seconds they both feel into a sound sleep. Despite the uncomfortable mattress and the itchy blanket, the fact that they were wrapped up in each other made for the best night of sleep they had ever had.


	7. Obscene Pancakes and Bonnie and Clyde

**How You Picture Things**

**Authors Note: **Well, here is the very last chapter of _How You Picture Things._ This chapter is all about closure baby. I know I could have left it at the last chapter but I figured they should at least be released before I called it a day. It was so much fun to write this and I am a little sad it's done. I want to once again thank everyone who took the time to review. You are all awesome and just yay for you in general. Um, what else when and if inspiration strikes I will probably start something else, so keep an eye out. Okay here we go…

**Spoilers:** None.

**Premise**: Set after _"Jews and Chinese Food_" But before, _"So Good Talk." _The whole town wants Luke and Lorelai to get back together so they decide to do something about it.

**Chapter 7 "Obscene Pancakes and Bonnie and Clyde****" **:

* * *

"_**If love is a labor I'll slave till the end. I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand." **Swing Life Away, Rise Against_

* * *

The early morning sun shined brightly as Sookie slowly made her way to the front of Miss Patty's dance studio. She was grasping the keys to the door so tightly that it was leaving indentation marks along her hand. As optimistic as she was about the town's little scheme she knew that throwing Luke and Lorelai in a room together and locking the door could end in a multitude of ways. In fact, that is how she got suckered into being the one who let them out. The general consensus of town had been that both Luke and Lorelai were less likely to go ballistic on a pregnant woman, and being the only pregnant woman around, it left Sookie with the job.

Once Sookie reached the front of the studio she suddenly felt very hesitant about unlocking the door. She just didn't know what kind of scene she would be walking into. Would she be cursed by them both as they bolted out of the door to escape each other. Or would it be like out of some horror movie, Lorelai rocking in a corner somewhere and Luke mysteriously missing. She has so many questions in her mind, would they both be furious, or too happy to notice? Would they both be alive? Would they both have their clothes on? That last question was particularly pronounced in her head, because when Miss Patty was debriefing her on a list of possible outcomes she had gone into elaborate detail explaining what she called Scenario "XXX".

She quickly shook the thought and Miss Patty's voice out of her head and found the correct key on the key chain to open the door. She was just going to unlock the stupid thing and get it over with. Worst comes to worst she knew that Jackson was in the car ready and waiting like some kind of getaway driver.

"Okay here goes nothing!" Sookie said as she slowly opened the door to Miss Patty's.

At first glance Sookie didn't see Luke or Lorelai. She slowly walked in until she was completely inside. She still didn't see either one of them until she averted her eyes towards the ground. That is when she first caught sight of the pair. They were completely entangled in each other and fast asleep on the blow up mattress. Lorelai had one of her arms flung over Luke's torso and her head rested on his chest. Luke's arms were wrapped protectively around Lorelai's body holding her tightly to him. The infamous blanket was now haphazardly thrown over their sleeping bodies.

Sookie smiled at the sight before her while simultaneously saying silent thank you to God that they both appeared to be adequately covered. Lorelai was wearing Luke's flannel shirt. As for Luke he had a t shirt on, and although the blanket was covering his mid section Sookie hoped he was also wearing boxer shorts.

She was so consumed by their attire or lack there of that it took a second to register what this particular scene meant. It looked like _her_ plan, no wait scratch that _the town's_ plan had worked. Sure, she had kind of been the one to bring it up and get everyone involved, but she definitely hadn't come up with the location. She also was not the one who came up with the crazy scenario's that were still floating in the back of her head.

Sookie's brain was on overload and she didn't know what to do next. She didn't know if she should just let them wake up on their own and see that the door was now open. Or should she wake them up and let them know they were no longer trapped inside. Sookie was beginning to get a little giddy with excitement as she watched Lorelai move slightly and snuggle in closer to Luke's chest. They were back together, they just had to be. **_Mission get Double L back together 2005_** was a success. Sookie briefly reminded herself to not count her chickens before they had hatched. She knew that sometimes what you do when you're asleep and not conscious of your actions was quite different then what you did awake. However; she also knew something else with a bit of certainty and that was the fact that you don't wear a man's shirt unless something dirty happened. She was so happy that everything seemed to have worked out that she felt the overwhelming urge to wake up Lorelai. She didn't think she could wait another second to get every detail from Lorelai about how she and Luke had gotten back together.

"Lorelai," Sookie whispered. When she didn't stir she tried a little bit louder, "Lorelai."

Normally Sookie would have bent down to tap Lorelai on the shoulder but bending down in any form was a mere memory to the extremely pregnant Sookie.

"Lorelai," She tried once more, and still got no response from either one of them.

Patience was not a virtue that Sookie possessed and she was quickly frustrated.

"Both of you are free! Get up!" Sookie screamed.

"What in the crap," Lorelai said groggily as she sat straight up.

"What the hell?" Luke grumbled. Luke's body was so happy to have finally gotten more than an hour of sleep that it simply refused to move. So Luke didn't even bother to open his eyes at the unwanted noise. He merely grunted something intelligible without even looking at where the noise came from and pulled the blanket tightly over his head.

"I said you guys are free, get up!" Sookie said exasperated.

"We're free…" Lorelai repeated still half asleep. Lorelai was apparently not as tired as Luke because she managed to look over and see Sookie starting down at her. Lorelai slowly got out of bed and went straight over to where Sookie was standing. It took Lorelai a second to place where she was, and why Sookie was there. Slowly but surely all of last night's events came back to the forefront of Lorelai's mind.

"Oh so they send the pregnant one so we won't get mad." Lorelai quipped.

All Lorelai's comment got was a sheepish smile from Sookie. Lorelai looked down at the blanket covered blob that was Luke and quickly grabbed Sookie by the arm to change locations. Once they reached Miss Patty's office Lorelai tried to put on her best angry face to let Sookie know she meant business, "Sookie, I can not believe you did this. I can not believe my best friend was in on this and Rory, my daughter, my own daughter was in on this! What were you thinking? You kidnapped us, do you not get that! I am grown woman I can handle things on my own…"

Sookie was trying to put on an equally serious face but she wasn't good at covering up her emotions. She was ecstatic about what she had just walked in on and couldn't help but comment on it.

"You guys are back together! I am so happy!" Sookie interrupted. She then proceeded to let out a loud squeal while grabbing both of Lorelai's shoulders.

"How'd you know?" Lorelai asked and couldn't help but smile.

"Well, the fact that you are wearing his shirt was kind of a tell about how things turned out." Sookie laughed.

"Oh yeah that." Lorelai beamed as she looked down at the flannel she was wearing. "I was going to try and be all hard ass Lorelai with you Sook, but I don't think I have it in me. I am so happy! If I baked I would make you something that you bake. Oh brownies, I would make you brownies."

"Promise me you never even attempt to cook for me or any one else, Lorelai." Sookie said seriously. After a brief pause she continued, "Listen, you know that Rory, and I, and this town just wanted what was best for you. You were just so miserable, and he was so miserable, and it was making all of Stars Hollow miserable."

"Wow, Luke and I have a lot of power over this town." Lorelai declared. "I should really start using my powers for evil."

Sookie ignored Lorelai's joke and started talking with a devious glint in her eyes. "So, tell me how'd it happen, when did it happen, How many times did it happen?"

"Sookie!"

"What?" Sookie returned innocently. "Come on you know you want to tell me."

"Luke is in the next room and I have to say when he finally wakes up I don't think he is going to be as forgiving as me. So details later and for now we get you out of here and keep that precious baby safe." Lorelai laughed.

"Aww come on, give me something." Sookie whined as Lorelai began to walk out of the office.

Lorelai turned around to look at Sookie and gave a devious smile, "Fine, one of the answers is two and that's all you are getting."

"Big tease," Sookie joked as they both made their way out of the office.

* * *

After Sookie was safely out of Miss Patty's dance studio and away from Luke's possible wrath Lorelai decided it was time to wake up Mr. Sleeping Beauty himself. She was now dressed in her own rumpled clothes from the night before and figured it was time for them to get out of this place. She looked down at the completely unmoving mass of blanket and man and decided to sit down on the floor Indian style next to him. She figured a gentle shake should work so she put the keys to Miss Patty's down on the floor to open up her hands. She had made damn sure she was in possession of those keys before she let Sookie leave. As pleasantly as things had ended up for her and Luke she never wanted to be stuck anywhere ever again, so she took no chances.

"Luke, wakey wakey," Lorelai mockingly said and she grabbed what she assumed was Luke's shoulder.

"Come on Luke. Our cliché sitcom scenario has finally ended. We are free. All though in a sitcom we would have been stuck in a elevator and right now would be the time where the repair man finally get around to fixing it..."

"Lorelai," Luke groggily said. "Don't take this the wrong way but shut up."

Luke pulled the blanket down so that it was no longer covering his head.

"Well, isn't this a switch. You being all sleepy and me wide awake. What happened to you when we were apart?" Lorelai asked.

"Well, let's just say that sleeping wasn't something I have done a lot of this past month." Luke responded finally awake.

"I guess we just need to make sure that we are never apart again." Lorelai said sincerely.

"I have to say I am okay with that." Luke returned.

"Good. Now did you hear what I said. We have been released the warden aka Sookie unlocked the door for us."

"So that wasn't a dream."

"You thought you were dreaming of Sookie? Why Luke she is my best friend! I don't think that's appropriate!" Lorelai joked.

"I am far too tired to play along with you right now." Luke said as he sat up and stretched.

"Like you would have played along with me even if you were awake," Lorelai quickly returned.

"Yah you are probably right about that. So we are free, huh."

"Yes, and now we can start are bank robbing bandit thing. Bonnie and Clyde and what not, just you, me, our wits, and our shot guns…" Lorelai began.

"Isn't that what you called us when we broke the bells." Luke asked.

"You remember that?" Lorelai questioned.

"I remember everything." Luke said sincerely.

"I really should have snapped you up sooner." Lorelai said softly. He was so genuine and wonderful and she knew she was incredibly lucky to have gotten another chance with this man.

"You snap me up? I am the one that did the snapping. I made all the moves." Luke said trying to lighten the mood a little.

"Yes and it took you merely eight years. Luke you are such a P I M P." Lorelai sarcastically replied.

"Do you really want to argue about this?" Luke laughed.

"We aren't arguing. We are bantering. it's one of our things. And I for one have missed it." Lorelai leaned her body over and kissed Luke softly on the lips.

"I missed that." Luke whispered leaning in to kiss her again.

Lorelai reluctantly pulled back.

"Luke, as much as this place is beginning to grow on me, what do you say you get dressed and we get out of here. I fear if we stay much longer the news of us being back together will have reached the whole town. We will then be forced to spend all day talking about it with Babette, and Miss Patty, and Kirk, and you see where I am going with this. I was thinking if we left now we can hide out and have the day to ourselves."

"That sounds like the best idea I have heard in a long time." Luke shook his head in approval as he spoke.

"Good, then let's get the hell out of dodge."

"Okay." Luke said starting to get up.

"Luke one more thing, I just want you to know that I am really happy with the way things turned out last night. I really meant what I said." Lorelai said grabbing Luke's hand and preventing him from getting up.

"You said a lot of things last night…" Luke teased. He knew exactly what she meant but it felt good to be able to tease her again.

"You know what I mean." Lorelai admonished.

"I do and I meant what I said too, Lorelai. Hey, how about we go back to my place. I will make you an obscene amount of food, and we can spend the day together in bed." Luke said as he got up off of the mattress.

"Why Luke are you asking me to bail out on my duties at the inn and play hooky with you?" Lorelai said in mock shock as she stood up.

"Pretty much." Luke said while simultaneously getting dressed.

"Thank God. Hey, do you think we should clean up?" Lorelai looked down and the mattress as she spoke.

"Are you kidding me? Lorelai, they locked us in. They can clean this up."

"Well, I mean their plan did end up working, Luke. If it weren't for the towns little scheme who knows where we would be. The least we could do is fold the blanket…" Lorelai stated.

"What happened to a quick get away?" Luke questioned. "Plus, I don't know about you but I was so miserable even if they hadn't locked us in here I would have caved eventually."

"Oh you are right screw the blanket!" Lorelai smiled. Hearing Luke say that they would have gotten back together with or without the towns help made her even happier if it was possible. "Now when you say an obscene amount of food how much food are we actually talking about here? I mean one person's obscene is another person's snack. Oh and will there be pancakes? I feel as though when someone says an obscene amount of food, I picture a steaming stack of fluffy pancakes…"

"If you keep talking we will never leave…" Luke said grabbing Lorelai's hand.

"You know you love me." Lorelai said, feeling the overwhelming need to hear the words again from him.

"Yes I do. I love you, crazy lady." Luke seriously replied.

Lorelai didn't think she would ever get tired of hearing those words or the man who had said them. Luke began to lead Lorelai towards the door their hands still intertwined.

"Good, I love you too. Now about those pancakes…." Lorelai started.

"Lorelai!"

Lorelai just laughed at him as they both finally made their way out of Miss Patty's.

**_And they lived happily ever after…. Strummy Strummy La La…. The End!_**


End file.
